Seminars

BlackBerry World 2012 conference coverage

Research In Motion has had a tough couple of years, thanks to the rise of the iPhone and
Android. At BlackBerry World 2012 in
Orlando, Fla., the company charted the course for its comeback.

Research In Motion (RIM) unveiled the first look at its next-generation operating system, BlackBerry 10, which is focused
squarely on the consumer. It features a new music service, a camera system that lets users rewind
photos, a touch keypad that learns how users type and adapts accordingly and, most importantly,
true app multitasking.

BlackBerry 10 impressed many of the 5,000 BlackBerry World 2012 attendees, but some doubted if
the new OS would be enough to reverse RIM’s fortunes. Luckily for RIM, enterprise IT
professionals said the less-talked-about products, such as Mobile
Fusion and BlackBerry Cloud Service, could end up revitalizing the company.

The BlackBerry operating system used to rock the enterprise, but now that consumer devices are
the standard, admins have to decide if they will stay loyal to RIM or not. IT pros have to consider
whether the security and reliability they get with BlackBerry are worth the resistance they could
face from users.

RIM unveiled the new features of BlackBerry 10 at BlackBerry World 2012. The OS is
gesture-based, supports true multitasking and uses an on-screen keyboard, rather than a physical
one. An innovative camera and an easy-to-use app interface could make the OS more
consumer-friendly.

Research In Motion has realized that playing to developers and consumers will help build
BlackBerry 10’s momentum, but the company isn’t planning on pulling up its enterprise roots. RIM
CEO Thorsten Heins said the company isn’t abandoning the physical keyboard, which business users
will appreciate.

It can be tempting to stray from the security roadmap security professionals have put in place when data breaches like the Sony and Anthem breaches are all over the news. But experts say it's crucial to stick to the security basics.